


Extrication

by owlmoose



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Female Friendship, Gen, Stealth Crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-19
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2019-01-19 23:36:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12420546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/owlmoose/pseuds/owlmoose
Summary: Natasha sees an unwelcome face from her past. Fortunately, Maria always has her back.Written for Ladies Bingo, for the prompt "other prompts played by the same actor."





	Extrication

It had been a busy night at the bar, a gang of agents kicking back after a low-stakes mission, and the others drifted out one by one until only Natasha and Maria were left. They were still chatting, nursing their third gin and tonic and whisky on the rocks, respectively, when Natasha abruptly straightened up. Most people wouldn't have noticed the suddenness to her movements, but Maria heard the quick whistle of air between her teeth and snapped to attention, subtly.

"Get between me and the door," Natasha muttered. "And don't turn around."

Maria fought off her curiosity and kept facing forward as she leaned closer to Natasha, placing a hand on Natasha's back and shifting to shield both their faces from view. "Can you tell me why?"

"In a minute." Natasha drained her drink in a single swallow, then slumped forward, setting her elbows on the bar to balance her face in her hands. A subtle, natural move that would further serve to keep her hidden. 

Maria sipped from her own drink and kept herself tall, scanning the mirror behind the bar for potential threats. Two groups of young men clustered at either end of the bar; a bachelorette party winding down in the booth next to the windows; an older man, tall, thin, a bit stooped, with a hang-dog face, vaguely familiar, taking a seat at a small table in the corner. Maria caught Natasha's eye in the mirror and raised an eyebrow, inclining her chin in the man's direction, and Natasha responded with a barely perceptible nod.

"So," Maria said, raising her voice while making a hand signal against the bar, "let me tell you about the latest idiocy from the IT department." And she launched into a story about something that had happened at the Academy a month ago, meanwhile taking a subtle watch. While she spoke, she never stopped tracking the older man's movements in the mirror. He caught the waiter's attention, and ordered two drinks; within ten minutes, he had a companion, a younger woman with burgundy highlights. Before long they were engrossed in each other and their booze, and Maria raised an eyebrow at Natasha.

Natasha checked her watch and flashed the signal for ten. Maria called over the bartender and paid the tab, and ten minutes later they were out the door, never looking at the man by the table, using their apparent indifference as a shield. 

Three blocks and two turns away, they had not been followed, and Natasha visibly relaxed. "Thanks." Natasha glanced over her shoulder for the first time since she'd first signaled Maria that something was wrong. "I met that guy over a decade ago, on a job in Japan. It-- got complicated. I doubt he would've recognized me, but I didn't want to take any chances."

"Gotcha." Maria shrugged. "But you don't need to explain yourself to me."

Natasha shot her a sideways grin. "Yeah. And I appreciate that you have my back. If you ever need to get you away from a potentially problematic ex, you know who to call."

Maria chucked. "Believe me, you're the first person I'd call. Especially if I need some damage done first."

"You know it." Natasha glanced at her phone. "Night is still young. Want another drink?"

"Sure." Maria lifted her chin to point down the street. "I know a place down the next block. It's been years since I've seen a bad boyfriend there."

Natasha chuckled and motioned for Maria to start walking. "Lead the way."

**Author's Note:**

> The man is of course Bob Harris, the character played by Bill Murray in _Lost in Translation_.


End file.
